Trescothick turns down Twenty20 request

Marcus Trescothick has rejected a request to come out of international retirement as a specialist Twenty20 player.

Trescothick, 33, revealed England Test captain Andrew Strauss approached him over playing the shortest form of the game this summer in the World Twenty20 and beyond.

But the Somerset batsman, who called time on his England career 13 months ago after aborting a pre-season trip to Abu Dhabi due to a recurrence of a depressive illness, declined the offer.

Former captain Kevin Pietersen was keen on luring Trescothick, England's most prolific one-day international century maker in history, back into the fold last summer.

But after the latest request from close friend Strauss, Trescothick told the Mail on Sunday: "I had no choice but to say no.

"I might be wrong but I still believe that if it was as simple as turning up and batting for England, I could do it and succeed.

"Playing cricket for England was the great ambition of my life and, until I became ill, I loved everything about it, so not being able to do so now is a source of great regret.

"I miss the buzz and the stage and the chance to put my ability to the sternest test, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it often. But I know in my heart that the dangers to my health of committing myself to all that goes with international cricket off the field are just too great.

"Since suffering my own version of hell with the illness, I've come too far and made too much progress to put myself and my family at risk again. I appreciate the thought and I know Strauss was not trying to put me under any pressure.

"But the time truly has come for me to stop dreaming and face reality. As much as I'd love to have another bash for England, it isn't going to happen, at any level."